Free Management Toolkit for Businesses

26 March 2014

Aston University is leading a free ‘management toolkit’ initiative to help West Midlands based businesses to change and grow.

Aston University will be working in partnership with Birmingham City Council to provide business support ‘toolkits’. These step by step programmes are designed to help Small and Medium Size Enterprises (SME’s) to identify and effectively implement positive changes to aid their overall businesses development.

The project, funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) will allow SME’s to gain access to free expertise from a dedicated support team at Aston, who will take businesses through individually tailored development plans. This will also include opportunities to access workshops specifically designed to develop new business models and embed change.

To be eligible, companies must employ less than 250 people and have an annual turnover less than £50 million or a balance sheet total of less than £43 million.

Professor George Feiger, Dean of Aston University Business School said: “Aston’s techniques have delivered real, measureable results in industry and the public sector. We are delighted that ERDF chose to fund our scheme and launch this exciting opportunity for businesses in the West Midlands. With our partners, we are committed to supporting 35 businesses. This is one of many programmes that Aston and Birmingham City Council sponsor to enhance economic growth”.

Aston’s techniques have delivered real, measureable results in industry and the public sector

Norman Price, Deputy Chair of the West Midlands ERDF Local Management Committee said: “Businesses continually need to improve and change if they are to survive in the current market conditions. Through this project businesses in the West Midlands can learn and benefit from years of research and testing into the areas of business transformation and change, with access to a unique package of support, toolkits and processes. This is a very specialised area and it’s important that we provide this type of support to local businesses to help them progress”.

The Transformation for Growth project is part financed by the European Regional Development Fund Programme 2007 to 2013. The Department for Communities and Local Government is the managing authority for the European Regional Development Fund Programme, which is one of the funds established by the European Commission to help local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support local businesses and create jobs. For more information visit www.gov.uk/browse/business/funding-debt/european-regional-development-funding